This year we’ve been told many times to help out hurricane, earthquake and war victims by donating to the Red Cross, the United Way and other big, national charities. And that’s good because they do great work. But times like this also mean that people stop thinking about local charities and nonprofit organizations that are also doing important, useful work. So this year we’ve compiled a kind of directory listing local nonprofit organizations that need your help and assistance. What follows are their wish lists for the holiday season. If you really believe this is the season of giving, please look over our list and donate what you can. We’re not asking you to shell out a ton of dough here—some of the stuff these guys want is pretty cheap.
Maui Food Bank
It’s easy to complain about not being able to afford a new car, house renovations or an off-island trip. But those of us with food on our table have so much to be grateful for. Maui Food Bank provides this basic need to the 7,000 to 9,000 people every month who would otherwise go hungry without their assistance. Through a network of 70 participating nonprofit organizations, Maui Food Bank collects, warehouses and distributes mass quantities of donated food to those in need. They also seek to educate the community about hunger, as well as come up with possible solutions.
THEY NEED:
• Food
CONTACT: Marlene Rice, 243-9500.
Maui OnStage
Maui Onstage enrichs the island’s community through support and creation of quality performing arts experiences. They also conduct stewardship of the historic Iao Theater in Wailuku. Performing arts makes Maui a more vibrant and interesting place to live. But while the arts add tangible public value, grant support is continuing to decline, making individual contributions and assistance that much more important.
THEY NEED:
• Building supplies (lumber, paint, etc.)
• Pick-up truck to transport theatrical materials, set pieces and supplies
• Hundreds of volunteers, who make up the lifeblood of community theater
• Financial support
CONTACT: Maui Onstage, 68 N. Market St., Wailuku, HI 96793. Call 244-8680 or email perations@mauionstage.com.
Hui Malama Learning Center
Education and literacy are gifts and rights that can never be taken away. But what do we do if someone cannot get through our education system? Hui Malama Learning Center picks up where all other teaching methods have failed. They have extensive alternative educational programs for those who want a GED, people suffering from illiteracy and others. Their programs include home-school enrichment, tutoring for those suspended from public school as well as a full high school curriculum. It’s all based on small group instruction so each child gets maximum attention. Hui Malama programs also extend to incarcerated individuals and English as a second language learners. Over the past 35 years, more than 18,000 students have participated in their programs and the demand for their services in our community continues to grow.
THEY NEED:
• Money for tuition assistance
• Patio furniture
• DVD video cameras and digital still cameras for youth programs
• Flat screen/flat panel computer monitors
• Document shredder
• Young adult books, fiction and non-fiction
CONTACT: Laren Jardine, 244-5911, ext. 32; Andie Contemanos, 244-5911, ext. 29; Inchala Cadorna, 244-5911, ext. 21.
Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center
Art enriches the lives within our community and nourishes our individuality. Best of all everyone can create and be involved in art. How you say? By starting with the amazing programs open to children, teens and adults at the Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center. An artistic hub for Maui, the Hui recruits cutting edge visiting artists, dsiplays various exhibits throughout the year and provides a support network for artist exchange and learning. Their recent, successful effort to buy the historic Kaluanui Estate and maintain the mansion and scenic grounds shows their commitment to the community. Members of the Hui enjoy discounts on programs but all are welcome to join. Exhibitions and visiting artist lectures are free to the public.
THEY NEED:
• A tractor to care for and maintain the newly acquired tract of land
• A golf cart to deliver supplies to studios
• A two-drawer and four-drawer metal filing cabinet to keep all their records straight
• Financial support
CONTACT: Call Toni Paul, Executive Assistant, at 808-572-6560 ext. 8.
Paia Youth and Cultural Center
The Paia Youth Center offers a variety of unique experiences to youth as well as an opportunity to broaden their horizons in understanding themselves and the people around them. Youths run the adjoining Paia Skate Park, Paia Bay Cafe and, eventually, the center’s low power radio station KOPO 89.5 FM. Granted a license in January of this year, the Youth Center has until July 2006 to get on the air. When it does, youth will be able to learn media literacy, which will help them run the only youth-operated and programmed radio station in the state of Hawai’i.
THEY NEED:
• Surround sound stereo system
• DVD/CD player
• ping pong table
• pool table supplies
• basketball backboard and hoop
• native beach dune plant starts
• volunteer carpentry/repair labor
• 20-foot by 20-foot tent
• volunteer radio/audio engineers
• Radio station manager (paid position)
• volunteer mentors who understand radio regulations, broadcast etiquette and technology
CONTACT: Blaze Anderson, Deputy Director, PO Box 790999, 28 Hana Hwy, Paia, HI 96779. Call 579-8354.
Maui Boys and Girls Club
This organization provides a positive place for kids to go after school. Like the Passport to Manhood program, where a mentor adult talks to boys about what they learned in life. There’s also homework assistance, girls groups, cooking classes, talent shows, sports competitions and art encouragement.
THEY NEED:
• Program staff for sports, fitness and recreation, education, leadership, health, life skills and the arts.
• Movie passes to be used as rewards for program participation
• Big screen TV
• Stereo system
• PA system
• Sports equipment
• Video camera
• Color printer
• Laminating machine
• Sturdy chairs and table
• Art supplies
• New vans for two clubs
• Foosball & Ping Pong tables
• Lockable, segmented sports cabinet
• Lockable trophy case
• Large announcement boards
• Couches
• Microwave & Conventional oven
• Two new office desks with chairs
• Copy machine
CONTACT: Kelly Pearson, Director of Operations, (808) 242-4363.
Maui Family Support Services
For the last 25 years, Maui Family Support Services has visited with every new mother, informing her and her family of their childcare services for low-income families, Early Headstart program, Healthy Start program and other assistance. They also work with teenagers to prevent teen pregnancy, as well as help pregnant teens and new teen mothers. The organization meets about 4,000 families every year, and ends up working closely with 400 of them.
THEY NEED:
• Diapers
• Art supplies
• Car seats (new or gently used)
• High chairs (new or gently used)
CONTACT: Luise Braun, 242-0900, ext. 229 or email Luise@mfss.org.
Maui AIDS Foundation
The Center for Disease Control reports that 25 percent of those in the U.S. who are HIV-positive don’t know it. Believing that prevention is their first defense against HIV, the Maui AIDS Foundation runs outreach groups that go to our beaches and bars to teach folks about how to reduce the risk of getting AIDS. MAF also provides free anonymous and confidential HIV testing. They’ve also formed the island’s only network for those living with the disease by providing free case management, transportation, health care, housing and food services. MAF is currently serving 160 clients county-wide.
THEY NEED:
• Funds for the Emergency Fund. This is used to pay for miscellaneous health care, transportation and homecare expenses that otherwise would go unpaid by clients who have HIV/AIDS and are impoverished
• Dry erase board
• Projector for PowerPoint
• Projector screen
CONTACT: Keith Wolter, Executive Director, Maui AIDS Foundation, 1935 Main St. Ste. 101, Wailuku, HI 96793. Call 242-4900, ex 102 or email keith@mauiaids.org.
Surfrider Foundation, Maui Chapter
This year the Surfrider Foundation, Maui Chapter was fortunate enough to receive many helping hands and cash contributions. This generosity helped further the organization’s mission of protecting the waters around the island by expanding its coastal water quality testing program and native planting projects. Overall the chapter is continuing to work on saving the waves at Ma’alaea, helping put marine teaching programs in local schools as well as beach clean-ups and other efforts to get people to understand the dangers of polluting our ocean.
THEY NEED:
• Volunteers
• Cash contributions
CONTACT: Jan Roberson, Maui Chapter Chair, PO Box 790549, Paia, HI 96779. Call (808) 575-2716 or email surfrider@hawaii.rr.com.
Maui Arts & Cultural Center
We go there to see a big name reggae show at the A&B Amphitheater, and to the Maui Film Festival at the Castle Theater on Wednesday nights. We’ve wandered through monthly exhibits with Hawaiian artists at the Schaefer Gallery, taken hula classes and sent our keiki to ballet workshops. We know Maui Arts & Cultural Center is a gathering place for our island community, providing inspiration, education, artistic and cultural diversity for all ages and interests. But this is only possible because of the community—annual donors, sponsors and volunteers are what keep the MACC such a viable center for enrichment and entertainment.
THEY NEED:
• A forklift
• A flatbed utility cart (Taylor-Dunn type)
• A 15-passenger van or cargo van
CONTACT: Art Vento, 242-2787, ext. 264 or email art@mauiarts.org. Also, Mike Foley, 242-2787, ext. 259 or email mikef@mauiarts.org.
Lanai Youth Center
While Lanai is part of Maui County, that island’s youth are too far away to participate in Maui’s afterschool and other youth programs. The Lanai Youth Center provides a fun safe place for the youth of Lanai to gather. It’s the only agency on the island to provide structured and supervised activities for kids aged seven to 18. It’s open six days a week, 12 hours a day. The LYC strives to bring enhanced programs to children by building positive attitudes and a healthy lifestyle. Their programs include homework assistance, prevention education, nutrition, cooking, sewing, arts, golf, archery, swimming and more. Though they’ve developed partnerships throughout the community to augment their programs, they need more community assistance.
THEY NEED:
• A 12-passenger van (new or used) in good working order. They currently have a 1988 Chevy Suburban and a 1993 Ford Van. Both were donated to the Youth Center as used vehicles, but due to their age they are continuously spending money to maintain these cars. These funds could have been better spent on youth programs.
• Funds for another modular unit. They are currently located in a 20-foot by 40-foot modular unit but need more space.
CONTACT: Diane Irons, Executive Director, at (808) 565-7675. Fax (808) 565-9588 or email lanaiyouthcenter@wave.hicv.net.
Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Maui County
Where do kids go for support and advice when their own families are too busy and school counselors don’t seem like a good idea? The Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Maui County matches Bigs (adults) with Littles (youth) in the community, forming a one-on-one mentoring program. They say youth in the program are 46 percent less likely to start using drugs, 27 percent less likely to start using alcohol and 52 percent less likely to skip school. The progression and development of Maui kids into productive and confident young adults is priceless to our community. Sixty percent of their income comes from clothing and small item donations. BBBS serves Maui and Molokai.
WE NEED:
• Clothing, knick-knacks, bedding, linens, shoes, handbags and other small items in good condition (no large appliances or furniture)
CONTACT: Call 242-9754 or visit our website at www.bbbsmaui.org and click on “Donate” to schedule your pick-up.
Maui Farm
The Maui Farm is a unique program that helps youth in the foster program and those from troubled families by providing a community-based alternative to institutional care. Located in Makawao, the Maui Farm provides an environment of ohana combined with farm environment activities. Youth have the opportunity to work with people, plants and animals while receiving services to address emotional and behavioral challenges. The youth then develop skills, learn responsibility and gain self worth. Foster parents are employees of the Maui Farm, hired to live in one of our group foster homes and provide loving care, support and training for five teenagers. Salary, benefits, housing, training and in-home support staff are provided.
THEY NEED:
• Caring adults to work as foster parents
CONTACT: Paula Ambre, Executive Director, at (808) 579-8271. Fax resumes to 579-9055 or mail to PO Box 1776, Makawao, HI 96768.
Maui Economic Opportunity Youthbank
Teaching youths life skills and experience isn’t easy. Many Maui parents have to work two or three jobs just to pay the rent—where does that leave time for the kids and life’s lessons? The Maui Economic Opportunity Youthbank program focuses on giving Maui youth a healthy dose of life skills through classes, work experience and survival retreats. These are lessons kids might not learn elsewhere. They also offer courses in how to get along with each other, attitude, conflict resolution, nourishment and avoiding drugs and alcohol. They offer a variety of work that kids can tackle as a team, building their confidence and self-esteem (participating kids also get a stipend). The youth will gain survival skills and learn how to meet personal challenges through hikes and camping trips that are steeped in Hawaiian culture and history.
THEY NEED:
• Cash for food for the trips
• Snacks and stipends during work experiences
• Pens and paper for the journals each youth keeps of their work, class and activities
• Camping/cooking equipment
• A good throw net
CONTACT: Jim Crowe, Program Director, MEO Youthbank, 99 Mahalani St., Wailuku, HI 96793. Call 873-3103 or email jim.crowe@meoinc.org
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